Bellingham, WA natural hazards
Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bellingham comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 33 claims here since 1980. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarationsHow exposed is Bellingham?
FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bellingham to be higher than in 53% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.
What Bellingham faces
Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.
Earthquakes
Inland flooding
Cold waves
Lower here
Not a risk here
Does Bellingham flood?
Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Bellingham, from FEMA’s records.
Biggest named events
- 2025-12-AtmosphericRiver: 4 claims, $391K
Homes that flooded again and again
■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times
are insured
are insured
What’s been done with FEMA grants
6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here
Disasters the President declared that paid out in Bellingham itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Bellingham.
Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides
Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides
Severe Windstorm
Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding
Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow
Severe Storms and Flooding
Bellingham and the towns around it
How to read this page
FEMA’s expected losses across Bellingham total about $32.2M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.